Road to Nowhere
by BeverlyQueen
Summary: A little piece set many years after 'All Good Things'


*untitled*

**A/N: Just a little story set after 'All Good Things', pretty much ignoring the movies all together. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own any of these characters.**

Old metal wheels moving slowly gave the illusion on the train moving on the train tracks as the old steam roller huffed and puffed down the country side. The train looked old but underneath it all it was modern and the wheels didn't touch the ground, rather hovered along on anti-grave units. The replication of the Northern Belle, the Orient Express's sister train was on its way to Scotland for what was probably the last time for the singular passenger in carriage Beverly 34657. The lone man sat by a window, dressed in a new coat of black with a fedora rested on the table next to him. His face was outlined in wrinkles and blemishes but it was his eyes that really gave away his age. His hazel eyes showed pain and wisdom of a man with a long life and a hard past. Resting on the table in front of him was an old photo album now full to the brim with ancient photos, some so worn around the edges you could barely read the handwritten notes on the bottom. But on each photograph you could see the people smiling clearly and the joy imprinted on their faces. The man looked out of the window as it reached the last station before it headed across the sea, as the train slowed to a stop he briefly waved to someone on the platform before sitting back in his chair.

The carriage door opened slightly to admit another figure though this one didn't look as old as the man, who he was about the same age as, he still retained his youthful look that would bless him for many years to come. He was dressed the same as the old man, though his coat was of a tan colour rather than a coal black, his skin was yellow presenting his golden eyes, and his hair jet black slicked back. In one hand he held a fedora while in the other a simple brief case that held only a few PADDS and papers. He scanned the empty carriage before taking the seat across from the man. "Admiral Picard" he nodded as he placed his brief case on the floor next to him.

The old man chuckled "Data I haven't been an Admiral in over 15 years I think it's time for you to stop calling me that" he closed the album in front of him. "And I haven't been your captain in over 60 years so don't think about calling me Captain, for this instance I think that Jean-Luc will do"

The man called Data tilted head to the side "I have never called you Jean-Luc before Captain.. Jean-Luc" he corrected quickly

"I haven't seen you in over 40 years Data, I haven't really given you the time" said Jean-Luc "such a long time to not see you"

"I admit I have been traveling in deep space for many years but it is in my nature to explore, that was one of the things you taught me Admi..Jean-Luc" said Data

"I hope I taught you to be curious but still have time to be in contact with your friends and family" said Jean-Luc

"Admi-Jean-Luc I have to correct you, I have no family I was made not born" said Data

"Data we were together for over 15 years that's a family not a crew" said Jean-Luc "I learnt that lesson from Admiral Janeway who learnt first hand what it's like to turn from a crew into a family"

"The crew of the USS Voyager were stuck together for 7 years in an uncharted part of the galaxy, it is more likely they were a family than we were" said Data

"That's were you're wrong Data"

"Wrong sir?" asked Data

"We were and still are a family Data. We learnt things from each other and helped each other, tell me you weren't worried when Beverly was kidnapped by the terrorist or when Will , Deanna and Beverly fell into coma's. Tell me you didn't laugh when Will and Deanna argued or when senior staff meetings became a battle of wits. You didn't enjoy the poker games or the parties in Ten Forward. We became a family." said Jean-Luc "it's really hard to forget all the great moments we had together" he reached up and wiped away a tear that escaped

Data looked at him peculiarly "Sir, why are you crying?"

Jean-Luc smiled sadly "I called you here today because we are the last of that family left. You've been gone for so long Data that you've missed the great memories that we left behind and all the sad moments."

"We are the only two left sir?" asked Data

"Data we are human, we don't last forever. You've been gone so long" said Jean-Luc "40 years is after all a long time"

Data took a moment to process this information. Jean-Luc imagined all the clogs in his mind working to process all of what he had just told him. As Data looked back at him he slid the photo album across the table and into the android's hands.

"I want you to have this Data" said Jean-Luc "I'm not going to need it for much longer and after that I don't know what to do with it"

Data looked at the album in his hands before opening it up. He flipped through the pictures of the Picard family over the centuries about a quarter the way through he came to a pictures he didn't expect. It was a picture of Data and Beverly dancing together in Ten Forward he was in uniform while she was dressed in a deep blue dress, he of course was looking down at her feet to copy her footwork while she had her head thrown back laughing. The next picture was of Will, Geordie, Deanna and himself sitting at a poker table, another of him and Geordie in engineering staring at the mini Christmas tree that had just appeared one shift. A little sticky note lay underneath this particular photo with cursive scrawl he regained as Geordie's reading 'Beverly did it'. Flipping through more pages and more photos Data began to recognize the everyday-life of their time on the Enterprise. He saw pictures of pranks, spontaneous photos and actually posed photos. Reach a particular photo he recognized Deanna and Will Riker's wedding as all of them stood in a line smiling.

Data smiled slightly and then turned to the next page suddenly feeling left out of the family as he saw pictures he'd never seen before.

The first picture was of Deanna with a little boy in her arms. Underneath a piece of paper read Ducan Luke Riker - Born 17th July in cursive script and underneath in different writing it simply read Teddy. He heard a soft laugh and looked up to see Jean-Luc trying to hide a laugh.

"That's Ducan, he was born about 2 years after you left. He was only born for about 20 minutes when Beverly decided to call him Teddy, he unfortunately still has that nickname" said Jean-Luc "you'd like him Data, he's like Deanna but looks like Will. He's a Lieutenant now on the new Enterprise"

Data's eyes returned to the page to see multiple pictures of little 'Teddy' Riker with various members of the senior staff, cuddling him or in Worf's case holding him very awkwardly. The next page showed various everyday activities, flipping through the pictures he paused at the one of Teddy Riker sitting in the captain's chair his tiny body not even taking up a quarter of the seat.

"He threw up all over my chair after that" said Jean-Luc smiling

Data smiled and kept flipping through pictures stopping in some places to read words written under photos. He passed the pictures of Geordie and Leah's wedding and their children, pictures of Worf's wedding and Alexander's graduation, birthday's, christmas and many other holidays. One picture made him stop this one of what he assumed was Jean-Luc and Beverly's wedding. He traced their smiling faces with his fingers before looking up at the man sitting across from him.

"She finally agreed to marry me about 3 years after you left, turns out Admiral Janeway won the bet" said Jean-Luc "it has gone down in history as the biggest bet of history and a doubt it's going to be broken anytime soon"

Data stopped again at the picture of Beverly holding a small pink blanket in her arms, and through the folds he could just see the tiny face of a little girl fast asleep. He stared memorized at the little girl as he flipped through many photos of her over the next couple of pages and the next couple of years.

"That's Natasha Felisa Picard" said Jean-Luc "she's grown up so much like her mother, she's even a doctor too"

Data for the first time began to see how much he had missed and been missed. He flipped over a page and stared in confusion at the little doll held in toddler Natasha's hand, it was yellow and had a Starfleet uniform on. And it looked familiar. In the next photo he got a better look at the toy and stopped thinking for about a moment. It was a doll version of him, or at least it sorta looked like him.

"My sister-in-law Marie made it for her and to today it is her favorite doll she even took it to the academy with her, it's her uncle Data." said Jean-Luc. "she's grown up too, even married Ducan Riker and they have one son who's 2 and a daughter who's less than a month old"

Data closed the book not wanting to look at any more photos and seeing what he'd missed the years he'd been gone.

"This isn't meant to make you feel bad Data" said Jean-Luc reaching across the table and grasping the android's hand "I just wanted to let you know that we had a good life and were happy"

"Is everyone gone now?" asked Data

"Yes, Geordie and Leah died during a malfunction in a new engine they were testing about 19 years ago. Worf died with honor defending Deep Space Nine, Deanna and Will passed away of old age 6 years ago" said Jean-Luc "Will died first and Deanna couldn't live without him she passed away two days after him"

"And Beverly?" asked Data

"She died 3 weeks ago Data, she didn't wake up one morning. She was over a hundred and had a hard life" said Jean-Luc tears streaming down his face. "Tasha tried to wake her up but she just couldn't, I'd gone away for two weeks before that and Tasha said that Beverly was just waiting for me to get back. She died happy, they all did"

Data felt something run down his face and raised a hand to wipe it away only to realize that it was a tear. He lowered his hand down and knew he had to cry freely for his friends and family who were now gone. He turned to the window and noticed that they were approaching the last stop of the train trip. He looked over to Picard and looked into the older man eyes, tears for his lost love were still streaming down his face and Data felt like he needed to get out of there for a moment.

He excused himself and left the empty carriage heading towards the outside balcony attached to the back. He stood out there for a while, tears running down his face before wiping them away and headed back to the carriage as the train slowed to a stop.

As he entered the cabin, his mind immediately picked up a dead silence, he slowly walked over to Jean-Luc Picard and placed his hand on the older man's neck. He felt around for a few minutes before finding no pulse, laying the man on the floor he began to try and revive him.

"He wasn't going to make the whole trip" came a voice behind him "he never was, I'm surprised he made it 3 weeks without mom"

Data turned around to see a clone of Beverly Crusher standing in front of him, she was dressed in a medical uniform and behind her was a team of medics. She knelt down next to him "he was over 120, and his heart couldn't live without mom" she grabbed the photo album and handed it to him "this is yours, I'm Natasha Riker-Picard by the way" she grabbed his hand and pulled him through the carriage door as they stepped down off the train she lead him towards the exit of the platform "my father told me to meet him and a friend here when the train got in, but after my mother died I knew there was no way that, that train would come into the station with him still alive on it"

Data followed her towards the shuttle parking and was meet by a young man standing with a little boy by his feet and a small girl in his arms.

For a moment Data stopped and looked back at the carriage. A soft sound behind him made him turn and he saw Captain Jean-Luc Picard in all his glory standing behind him. He looked young again and stood powerful like the captain Data once knew.

"I'm happy now Data, don't worry about me" came his voice "and remember we'll be waiting for you"

He turned and for the first time Data saw the rest of the senior staff, young again standing behind him. Captain Picard walked up to them and gently grasped Dr Crusher's hand in his, and with one final wave they disappeared.

"Mr Data are you alright?" asked the man

"Fine" said Data clutching the photo album close to his side.


End file.
